Why Is PETA Giving Out Fur Coats?

PETA is giving out fur coats to those in abject poverty this winter, highlighting its belief that wearing fur is only excusable when there is no other option.

The organisation's base in Detroit - one of America's poorest cities, currently in the grip of below-zero temperatures - is encouraging those who have previously worn fur but have now decided to stop to give their old furs to those in desperate need. The warm coats will then be donated - along with leather jackets, wool scarves and angora sweaters - to some of the city's neediest residents.

"PETA has long said that only people who are truly struggling to survive have any excuse for wearing fur, and on Monday, with temperatures well below freezing, we drove that point home," the organisation said on its website. "While we can't bring the animals who were slaughtered for fur, leather, and other skins back to life, together we can help bring a little warmth to people in desperate need."